Blood Promise
(Vampire Academy, #4)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug 25, 2009
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
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Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.
The
recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi
world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi,
their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark
that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one
victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two
very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best
friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the
Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll
have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the
promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes,
will he want to be saved?
Now, with everything at stake—and
worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly
rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri?
Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?
My thoughts...
**Warning May Contain Spoilers For Previous Books***
This
entire book is about Rose on a mission to find and kill Dimitri.
Back in the first book they had a talk about what they would want if
they were turned Strigoi and that was to be killed. So once Rose turns
18 she leaves school and heads to Russia in hopes of finding him.
While
in Russia, Rose meets an Alchemist named Sydney while out killing
Strigoi by a nightclub. Alchemists are humans who are there to keep the
Vampire existence a secret. They dispose of the Strigoi bodies with a
special potion. So when Rose starts leaving mass bodies in her wake
Sydney sets out to find who's making her life difficult, which is how
the two meet. When Rose tells Sydney where she's trying to go they set
off to Dimitri's hometown. Which is where Rose meets his mother, sisters
and grandmother. Being in his old home brings up a lot of memories for
Rose. So even though Dimitri isn't in the book a lot, he is brought up a
lot. As well as Rose checks in with Lissa through their bond. There is a
new girl at the school who appears to be a bad influence for Lissa.
Adrian makes appearances in this book both through the bond with Lissa
and when he visits Rose in her dreams. So even though it is a book about
Rose being out on her own searching for Dimitri we still get updates on
the whole crew.
I must say though, the book takes a crazy turn
when the Strigoi version of Dimitri does show up. He's still like the
old Dimitri in some ways but he is really short tempered and... well..
for lack of a better word, bad. I wasn't overly sure if I should root for Rose to kill him or let him go. I loved Dimitri in previous books but in this one he really is creepy. He taunts and threatens Rose but sometimes he seems to revert back to the old Dimitri. This story has so many awesome key points between Rose stumbling around Russia to finding his home and then ultimately finding him, that you were never left bored.
Favorite part...
Rose
is thinking back to a time when she and Dimitri were on a road trip.
There was snow on the ground and she plopped down to make a snow angel.
She talked Dimitri into laying in the snow with her to make one.
"Okay," I said when he did nothing more. "Now you have to move your arms and legs."
"I know how to make a snow angel."
"Then do it! Otherwise, you're more like a chalk outline at a police crime scene."
Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy series...
Vampire
Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
The Awakening
(Darkest Powers, #2)
By: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: April 28, 2009
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
If you had met me a
few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average
teenage girl — someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m
as far away from normal as it gets. I’m a living science experiment —
not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister
organization call the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters.
I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the
dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to
have. Ever.
Now I’m running for my life with three of my
supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a
disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us before
the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.
My thoughts...
There
is a lot more action in this book than the previous one and Chloe
awakens a lot more zombies both accidentally and intentionally. Now with
knowing that they are all running for the lives, Tori, Derek, Simon and
Chloe set off to find Simon's father. However, it isn't as easy of an
adventure as it sounds since they are short of cash which leaves them
sleeping on the streets.
I liked that there was a lot more Derek
time in this book. While on the bus, Derek starts to have symptoms of
the change and him and Chloe hop off the bus at one of the stops in the
middle of the night while everyone is sleeping. So a good portion of the
book is just Chloe and Derek trying to catch up with Tori and Simon who
took the bus all the way to their destination which was about a 12 hr
drive.
I think maybe my favorite part of this book was the
Syracuse part. Why? Because I'm from Syracuse, I know the bus stop that
they stop at in the story. So that was pretty cool for me.
Like I
said I liked the Derek and Chloe time in this book. He starts to soften
a bit towards her when they are alone and he even gets mighty
protective of her at times. At one point of the story it's even
mentioned that he had found himself a mate (Chloe). Not only that but
Chloe starts seeing Derek in a new light and realizes that she is
starting to develop feeling for him. Even more so than she does for
Simon.
They are still running from the Edison group and when they
finally meet up at their destination they find that the Edison group is
one step ahead of them. They were waiting at Simon's father's friend's
house. So the ending is a bit climatic with everyone splitting apart
trying to make it out of there alive since they are no longer using
tranquilizer darts but actual bullets now.
Favorite quotes...
I
have two. I know I know but I can't help it. The first quote explains
the bonding between Chloe and Derek and sort of explains the dynamics on
how these two become closer in the book.
"His back shot up, limb
straightening, head dropping and there was this... sound- an awful
popping and snapping, like bones cracking. Then his head flew up and the
cracking was drowned out by an inhuman howl. His head whipped from side
to side and I saw his face then, the nose and jaw lengthening to a
muzzle, neck thick, brow receding, black lips pulled back to show teeth
sharpened to fangs.
One eye caught mine, and the absolute terror in
it chased mine away. I could not be afraid. I could not be freaked out. I
could not make this worse for him in any way. So I met his gaze,
unblinking, and kept rubbing his back."
The second is because
I personally hate the prejudice against pit bulls. I was once chased
down and almost attacked, luckily I made it to safe ground in time, by a
pit bull. And I will be the first person to say that it isn't the breed
of the the dog but rather the owner. I one day hope to own a pit bull
of my own just to prove this point... plus they are gorgeous dogs.
"Hey,
that thing was more vicious than a pit bull. I was at a park with
Simon, kicking around a ball. All of a sudden, this little rat dog comes
tearing out of nowhere, jumps up, and clamps down on my hand. Wouldn't
let go. I'm shaking it, and the owner's yelling at me not to hurt little
Tito. I finally get the dog off. I'm bleeding all over the place and
the guy never even apologizes." - Derek
Previous books from the Darkest Powers trilogy
The Summoning
Shadows
(Lux, # 0.5)
By: Jennifer Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Published: Feb. 21, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
The last thing Dawson
Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on
Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their
true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.
Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.
Bethany
can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even
though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from
him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.
Captivated. Lured. Loved.
Dawson
is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life
in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human
girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.
My thoughts...
I
have heard a lot of good thins about this series and decided to give it
a try. I'm glad that I did. Every where you turn there are books about
vampires and shifters. So it was nice to read a book that revolved
around aliens. Apparently, smoking hot aliens that will literally light
up your world... in their true form that is.
Too many times have
I read a novella and found myself not connecting with the characters or
really grasping the story. However, I really liked this short story
about Dawson (luxen) and Bethany (human). Obviously there is the whole
forbidden love aspect since well, he's an alien but it's more deep than
that. The Department of Defense is well aware of the Luxens on earth and
actually having colonies for them to live as well as monitoring the
ones who decide to live amongst humans. There are also other aliens that
kill the Luxen who are now inhabiting earth as well. So the story isn't
just about two kids falling in love. There is a lot of set up for the
series in this book.
I personally really enjoyed the story. Like
I said, I like the newness of having aliens be the focal point. I also
like the authors style of writing. She keeps the characters real by not
making them so politically correct, which I like. I'm sick of reading
teenagers think or say things that a 50yr old person would say. Sorry
but that's just not the real world. We use words like "mofo"... well okay
at least I do. HaHa Either way, the characters and writing was a nice
change to what I've been reading. And I must say that I applaud the
ending. I totally did not see that coming and I don't know if I've ever
read a book that ended on that note. It was just... wow!
Favorite quote
"She.
Spoke. To. Him. First. It was like winning the lottery, getting laid,
and climbing the highest cliff all rolled into one. But he needed to
play it cool, becase he was trending into lame-o land at a quick pace."
Shadow Kiss
(Vampire Academy, #3)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Nov. 13, 2008
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
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Is Rose’s fate to kill
the person she loves most? It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy,
and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason’s death, Rose
hasn’t been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle
of practice, can’t concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about
Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret . . . .She’s in love
with Dimitri. And this time, it’s way more than a crush. Then Strigoi
target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri
is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best
friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever…
My thoughts..
This
book had more action to it than the others. The school has paired
Dhampirs with Moroi as if they are in the real world. The administrators
are acting as the Strigoi and are randomly attacking the students to
test their reflex skills. So with the mock fights there is a lot of
action going on through out the book. On top of that Rose has started to
see ghosts. She has no idea why she's seeing ghosts and what it means
but something doesn't seem right. Add in a trip to the Royal Court, two
real Strigoi attacks and two huge surprises at the end and you have got
yourself one hell of a story.
I don't know where to begin and I definitely don't want to give anything away for those who've not read the previous books. After
the way Frostbite ended I didn't know what to expect between Dimitri and
Rose. He has certainly lowered his defenses a bit and he has been in the book a lot more interacting with her. For instance when she gets in trouble during a
mock fight and is given community service at the church, Dimitri shows
up to help her with it. You could see that he was opening up a little
bit more towards her.
The only thing I cannot get out of my head is
the ending though. Boy does Mead know how to leave you hanging. First
you're like "OMG I cannot believe that just happened!" and then #BAM#
"WHAT?! How did that happen?"... "Oh no, that's not good.".... "Yes kill
those Strigoi!"... "No! No! No! Are you f*&'ing kidding me?!
No!"... The end. I mean talk about emotional ending. Out of the entire
book I think that the ending took the cake for me. I got goosebumps
reading the highs and lows all in a matter of chapters. I cheered, I got
nervous, I cheered again, then got sad, then things were looking up and
then Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am I was thrown off my butt and didn't know
what the hell happened.
Favorite quote...
“You can't fool me, comrade. You want to put on a cowboy hat and keep lawless bank robbers in line.” -Rose
Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy series...
Vampire
Academy
Frostbite
Frostbite
(Vampire Academy, #2)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: April 10, 2008
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...
It’s
winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but
festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and
now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting
mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t
bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend
Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in
Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The
Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This
year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.
But the
glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the
illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move
against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to
rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price.
Favorite
After
another Strigoi attack, St. Vlad's Christmas plans change and the
school decides to go to a ski resort for the holidays. Dimitri has made
it clear that what happened between him and Rose will never happen again. And
after Dimitri is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity Rose decides
to move on. You see Dhampire relations can not reproduce but they
can with the Moroi, and Christian's Aunt who is in town for the holidays
has offered her old friend "Dimka" a chance to not only be her guardian
but to have his baby as well. So of course this news sends Rose into a
depressed mood for about a nanosecond until she decides to give her
friend Mason a chance.
I liked the change of scenery. It was
nice to see the characters in a new light having fun. We also get to
meet Adrian in this book who is a Moroi Spirit user. He has his eyes set
on Rose and is intrigued by Lissa's powers and the bond that her and
Rose share.
Rose is just as feisty as the last book and the
connection between her and Dimitri is still there even though Dimitri
still tries to distance himself from her. Some of the things he says
though are swoon worthy. Yes there is an age difference but come on, who
hasn't crushed on an older guy? I was just never lucky enough to get a
hot young male teacher. HaHa
Favorite part...
Rose: "Can vipers be rabid?"
Mason: "I don't see why not. Everything can be. I think. Canadian Geese might be worse though."
I gave him a sidelong look. "Canadian geese are deadlier than vipers?"
"You
ever tried to feed those little bastards?", he asked, attempting
seriousness and failing. "They're vicious. You get thrown to the vipers,
you die quickly. But the geese? That'll go on for days. More suffering."
Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy series...
Vampire Academy
Vampire Academy
(Vampire Academy, #1)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug. 16, 2007
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
St. Vladimir’s Academy
isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are
educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect
them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa,
a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re
being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most
in danger...
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance,
the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals.
But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most
dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.
My thoughts...
I was reluctant to read this
book when a friend of mine insisted I give it a try. I just wasn't
interested in reading yet another vampire book. There are hundreds out
there and when push comes to shove they are all pretty much the same.
However, when she mailed me the book for my birthday I gave in and sat
down to read it. And for the next 2 days that book only left my hands
when I showered or slept. Speaking of which, they should really come out
with water-proof books.
The book starts
off with Rose and Lissa on the run. They left the Academy 2 years ago
and have been running ever since. However, they are soon found and
brought back by Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Once back in the Academy, Lissa and
Rose are sent back to their classes. But
since Rose has fallen so far behind on her guardian training, Dimitri has taken on
the task of mentoring Rose and making sure she catches up with her other
classmates. You see, Dhampires are guardians to the Moroi. Even though
the Moroi have elemental powers, they are fairly weak and vulnerable
physically, which is where the Dhampires comes in. Their role is to
protect the Moroi at all costs. Without the Moroi, the Dhampire line
would die out. I think that Mead did a great job developing her world of
the Moroi and Dhampires.
The story doesn't just focus on one
character but rather you learn about a handful of characters even though
the book is written in Rose's perspective. The character building was
perfect. You understand the close bond between Lissa (Moroi) and Rose
(Dhampire). They have been best friends since they were young and Rose
has always known that she would be Lissa's guardian when they graduate
from the Academy. The attraction between Rose and her mentor Dimitri
isn't something that happens instantly. In fact Dimitri tries to keep
his distance from Rose and keeps their interactions strictly
professional when he starts to view her in a new light. This story
wasn't action packed, it's primarily about Rose and Lissa adjusting to
life back in the Academy after a 2 year hiatus. There is some action at
the end but not a whole lot. You get the sense that Mead is building the
stage with the first book and gives you tiny glimpses of what's to come
and I cannot wait!
Favorite quote...
“If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you.” - Dimitri
Croak
(Croak, #1)
By: Gina Damico
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: March 20, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex’s parents ship her
off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer,
hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into
shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than shoveling
manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach Lex the family business.
She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town
populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But
Lex can’t stop her desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she
encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they
can strike again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper
skills?
My thoughts...
Does Croak have the fundamentals of the average YA novel? Lets see shall we?
Is the protagonist wimpy and winy?
Nope! She's actually the bully at her school. She has random fits of
rage where she just wants to hit something. When her parents break the
news to her that they are sending her to her Uncle Mort's for the summer
they actually tie her up to the kitchen chair first and remove all the
sharp knives from the dinner table. For good reason too since when they
tell her the news, she flips out.
Is there a love triangle or a love interest with an unattainable bad boy?
NOPE! In fact Lex wants nothing to do with the opposite sex. Yes she
thinks her reaper partner is hot but she doesn't dwell on it. Heck, on
the first day she punches him in the eye and then later kicks him in the
balls. She is clearly not boy crazy throughout the book.
Does the cover have a female in a ball gown?
Nope! It's a picture of Lex in her reaper gear which is a black hoodie
with her scythe. Besides, I couldn't even picture Lex in a ball gown. I
don't know if you could even force her into one let alone have her
prance around in it. She just isn't the girly girl type.
I loved
that this story was unlike the mainstream YA books out there. Lex is
what most would consider the bad guy. She's rude, abusive and just a
psychotic mess. She swears so much that she has probably put enough
pennies in the swear jar to cover her college tuition. And I love her!
She doesn't have a filter, she says what's on her mind and more often
than not it offends people. Lex is a breath of fresh air.
Lets
not overshadow the names that Gina came up with for her characters. You
won't find Sarah, Brad or a Jimmy in this bunch. Nope you get Lexington
(Lex), Concord (Cordy), Briggs, Ferbus, Elysia, Kloo and Zara and that's
not even all of them.
The whole story was entertaining. The
world of Croak, a town that is run by Reapers and is the central hub for
the portal for the afterlife, was in my opinion... genius! Whenever a tourist wanders in, they
squeeze them of their money by gouging prices or charging for services
such as offering directions and then douse them with amnesia and send
them on their way. The various people that you get to meet in Croak are
all entertaining and I must say that I am a huge fan of Uncle Mort's. I
was picturing a balding heavy set man but instead we get a thin man,
with a full head of hear who rides a motorcycle and swears just as much,
if not more than Lex. The only thing that took some getting used to was
the fact that the book is in third person. But after a while you get
used to it and you hardly even notice. My only complaint is the ending.
After what happens with Lex, you would think that she would go ballistic
and kill the traitor but instead she has a conversation with the
person. Yes, afterwards she beats herself up about it but considering
how volatile Lex was before going to Croak you would think she'd have a
stronger reaction than she did.
Favorite part...
Everyone
thinks that Uncle Mort is a farmer so when Lex goes home for a visit
she tries to keep up the pretense that she's been working on a farm as
apposed to reaping. She's going on and on about the different animals on
the farm.
"Yeah, there's this one rooster who's really awesome. He's always, like, strutting around and displaying his plumage."
"His plumage?" her doubting father repeated.
"Yes." She slapped on the most innocent face she could muster. "His plumage."
Cordy crossed her arms. "What's his name?"
"Mr. Frizzle."
Her parents stared. Cordy coughed.
"Well,"
their mother said after a moment, "I think that's wonderful. You seem
to be doing marvelously, you haven't gotten into any trouble, and you
made friends with a chicken!"
Bloodlines
(Bloodlines, #1)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug. 23, 2011
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
When alchemist Sydney is
ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill
Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private
school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama
is only just beginning.
Populated with new faces as well as
familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles
and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire
Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human
setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.
My thoughts...
I
held off for so long on reading this book. I pre ordered a copy and
then was nervous to read it when it finally came in the mail. Would I
like it as much as VA? Even though I am not 100% in love with it, it has
potential to steal my heart with the books to come.
Instead of
sassy outspoken Rose as a narrator, you have timid, sheltered Sydney.
She is sort of a pushover at first but gets her bearings as the story
progresses. She is ordered to go into hiding with Jill, to keep her safe
from further attacks on her life. Since Lissa needs one family member
to remain queen and Jill is all the family she has left, the attacks
have been directed at Jill, so that Lissa will be removed from the
thrown. Eddie and Adrian join the ranks in this book and take the
adventure to hot and sunny Palm Springs. (Which by the way is literally
right around the corner for me). Jill, Sydney and Eddie enroll into a
private school and try to fit in with the humans as best they can. Eddie
becomes friends with his roommate, Micah, who reminds him of his old
best bud Mason (who was killed in VA), Jill is actually making enemies
with the girls at school when Micah shows interest in her and Sydney
seems to be getting along fine. She makes friends with a pair of human
girls... one just so happens to be named Kristin (no one ever spells my
name with an I, so I was thrilled by that).
I loved that part of
the team was back but I wish that there was more Adrian and Eddie time.
They were so carefree in VA and now Adrian is heartbroken over Rose and
he literally mopes around the entire time. Eddie has gone from serious
guardian to an extremely overprotective guardian. I also wish that there
was more of a surprise to the conflicts that take place in the book.
Right away I knew who was behind the attacks and what was going on.
Whereas in previous VA books, where Dimitri gets attacked or when Mason
dies, I didn't get that same surprise reaction from this one.
However,
I cannot wait to see what happens with the gang over time. I hope
Adrian licks his wounds soon because I miss the snarky sarcastic guy he
used to be, even though you see glimpses of it, it isn't nearly enough.
This book seemed more of an adjusting section for Sydney to get used to
being around the moroi and their magic and a small process of healing
for Adrian. Hopefully with the upcoming books everyone settles down with
their feelings and they get back into the action.
Favorite quote...
"The
only thing keeping me alive is that he keeps a hefty supple of liquor
on hand. But at this rate I'm going, that'll be gone by the weekend.
Jesus Christ, I'm climbing walls here." His eyes fell on the cross at my
neck. "Oh. Sorry. No offense to Jesus." -Adrian
